Thursday, December 29, 2011

Here's a first for IBR. As many of you know, I raise cavys as a food source but most of them are sold as pets. I had one that has been pregnant for what seems like forever so I finally took her in and had her x-rayed to see if she was really carrying babies or it was some medical problem that made her so huge.

As you can see in the top photo, if you look carefully, she had lots of tiny skeletons showing and Dr. Blessing assured me that they were alive. Lo and behold about four days later she popped out five babies. One was stillborn but the others are thriving and she's being a super mom.

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Good and bad news. The bad is that FROSTY had been unable to stand for more than a short time, he couldn't keep down any solid food and was having difficulties breathing. Apparently the damage to him was also internal and resulted in all these problems. He died just a short time ago.

The good is that PRISCILLA has made great strides. Even tho her mercury levels are the highest they've seen at the state lab, she is eating and flying to the corner window perch. With her counts, the vets at the lab said she should be either in a coma or dead. Guess that horrible disposition has seen her through the hard times. I no longer have to cut up her fish and rats, she's doing all the ripping and tearing on her own. I think she's also improving on the temperament side too. At least all she now does is chatter at me when I arrive with her meals and not dash away to the other side of the mew.

As soon as I feel she'll be able to find food in a larger area she'll be put into the eagle flight barn to see just how her wings are doing now.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Here's the photo of HOLLY after her surgery. I took it this morning as she wasn't standing by the time I got her home from the vet and put to bed in the warm rodent house. Then this morning when I moved her to the cage room she wasn't using her right foot at all..... What else..... I physically opened her toes, placed her foot flat on the carpet and put a half quail in front of her. Apparently she decided it was worth making her foot work so she could eat. As you can see in this picture, she's standing on both feet and half of her quail is gone.

The surgery went well and Dr. Pedersen did a super job pinning both the radius and ulna of her left wing. Now all she has to do is get better.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Today I met G&F biologist Bart Kroger just south of Meeteetse to transfer an immature female Richardson's Merlin to me. She'd been found in the middle of Thermopolis with a broken wing, most assuredly after being hit by a car. She weighs 7.33 ounces, not fat but in pretty good shape so the surgery was done to repair the fractures this afternoon. At this point she's awake but not standing so I put her in the warm rodent room for the night. I'll post a photo of her tomorrow after she's standing and I can get a good picture. Oh yes, her name is (what else) HOLLY.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

At least this FROSTY has. This four year old male golden eagle was hit by a car down in Rawlins, WY. Not only was he struck by the vehicle, he was repeatedly run over afterwards. Thank goodness he was between the tires and didn't have the tires going over his body. Amazingly he doesn't have any broken bones. The bad thing is that he can't stand for more than a couple seconds. He has improved since he arrived last night so I have high hopes he will make a full recovery.

In this photo he's propped up against a rolled carpet to put his body in a more natural position.

I also want to thank two very special people. Travis and Ann work for the USFWS, he in Rawlins and she here in Cody. Travis drove the bird to Shoshoni where Ann met him for the transfer and subsequent drive to deliver him to me. Rawlins is a many hour drive from here and at this time of year it's iffy at best. Luckily the snow didn't fall until late evening so all got home okay.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

This morning we had some fog so when the sun came out the hoar frost covered everything. This is my huge Siberian elm and it's a picture postcard for winter. I just had to post a photo of it. It's only nine degrees outside right now but the sun is out, the sky is blue and all's right with my world so far today.

Monday, December 19, 2011

Actually, she's not winking but she can't seem to open this eye. Thanks to some caring people, she was rescued from the side of the road near Deaver after probably being hit by a car. GRETCHEN doesn't seem to have any other injuries but at this point I'm almost afraid she's totally blind. She has an appointment with Dr. Blessing tomorrow to see just what's wrong.

I believe she's also a baby of this year so she'd be about 8-9 months old. I certainly hope this absolutely beautiful young bird will be all right and able to fly away soon.

NOTE: 12/20 - It was bad news for this baby owl. Her right eye was destroyed by the vehicle and her left eye had a detatched retina which cannot be repaired. Because her quality of life would not be good she was put to sleep. Thanks to Maggie she did not starve to death alongside a road, she died with dignity and the respect of the humans who took care of her.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

When I was driving up to my house after taking a bird to the vet I saw a beautiful sight. As the temperature is barely into the teens and we've been having a lot of fog, a hoar frost covered everything. Isn't it just a wonderful sight?

Saturday, December 10, 2011

These three photos are of the main breeding boars in my cavy group. The top one is STRAUSS, son of ELVIS (seen in earlier memorial post), COCOA, son of STRAUSS and FUZZY, son of who knows as he was bought down in Riverton. The first two of these handsome boys are the fathers of many, many beautiful babies and were also born here. FUZZY hasn't sired any babies yet but his harem is all together and when they're old enough they will also be producing amazing cavys of all hair coats.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

His name is SIMPSON. This baby Prairie Falcon came in this morning with a broken right wing. Bart Kroger, WGF biologist in Worland, found him in his yard unable to fly. He (the bird, not Bart) is also in a very starved condition weighing only 15 ounces. The x-rays taken this afternoon proved that his right wing radius/ulna are fractured but in a place that is very repairable. Because he is so very thin he won't have his surgery until next Wednesday so he can gain needed weight between now and then. He has a super attitude so should do well.

SAD NOTE: Baby SIMPSON made it through the surgery in fine shape but unfortunately died during recovery. He was about standing up when for some reason his body gave up. His spirit is with me, I still see him dancing on his toes when I put his food in the cage. That memory will brighten my thoughts for some time to come.

No wait, it's a rabbit. This is BABY, a minilop that came out with a weird haircoat. She was used as a model at the Buffalo Bill Art Show quick draw by sculptor Pati Stajcar of CO. She was much younger then and not as hairy but still as cute. She isn't old enough to breed yet but when she is I'm sure she'll make a super mom.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Yes, this is the third eagle I've received since PRISCILLA came in on Thanksgiving day. This is SPARKY, an immature Golden Eagle I believe is a male. He was found walking near the road in the Oregon Basin oil field. They called me but by the time I got there he'd wandered about a half mile from the first sighting. It took a bit of following but I finally caught up with him.

The bad news, and this may be fatal, is the wound on each of his wrists. Because of where he was found there is a strong possibility that he has been electrocuted. And that spells disaster. Because electrocutions kill from within, in a few weeks the tips of both his wings may die and fall off. Of course I'll have my fingers crossed that these may be road rash and he'll fully recover.

That means "hit by car", or in this case by a truck. This adult female Golden Eagle, JESSIE, was very fortunate two days ago. Certainly not in the fact that she was hit by a truck but because the person stopped and he was being followed by another vehicle belonging to Rick and Terri Johnson. On Thanksgiving day they are the ones who called about a baby bald eagle that couldn't fly. (See post below on PRISCILLA). Because they watched just how I gathered up that bird they were able to rescue this golden and bring her to me.

JESSIE was hit very hard and is suffering from a fractured left humerus, was bleeding from her nostril and left ear and she was unable to stand up for more than a couple seconds. I immediately called the Lifetime Animal Hospital and Dr. Pedersen told me to bring her in for x-rays. She is scheduled for surgery to repair that break this afternoon. And I was pleasantly surprised to find the eagle standing this morning and walking around her cage. She even ate a meal early in the day along with the "medi-mouse" holding her pills.

NOTE: JESSIE came through the surgery with flying colors and was already standing when I got to the hospital to pick her up. She's now in her large inside cage in a heated room.

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In Loving Memory....

About Me

Born in Downers Grove, IL, I moved to Cody in 1981 after living in Boulder, CO for many years. As I enjoyed the outdoors and spent many weeks up in Wyoming going on horsepacking trips with friends, I decided to move here. I started Ironside Bird Rescue in 1987 after finding an orphaned Starling baby that had fallen out of its nest near my house. One thing led to another and after all these years the facility now has many different sized mews and flight barns for the exercise of raptors so they will be strong enough for release. I live in a 130+ year old log cabin with a corgi mix dog, her mother, a purebread corgi, a couple cats and many birds in a free flight aviary attached to the house. I'm now retired from a "real job". Along with rehabbing birds, I spend a lot of hours volunteering at our local Buffalo Bill Historical Center in the graphics department.